Highly flexible carbon nanotubes/aramid nanofibers composite papers with ordered and layered structures for efficient electromagnetic interference shielding

Abstract Efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with high flexibility, thin thickness, excellent mechanical property, and superior EMI shielding performance are urgently needed for modern electronic devices in areas of aerospace, military, and wireless communication systems. Herein, highly flexible multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/aramid fibers (ANFs) composite papers with ordered and layered structures were successfully fabricated via a facile vacuum-assisted filtration. The obtained composite papers exhibited high electrical conductivity , outstanding mechanical property, excellent EMI shielding performance of 41.7 dB at a low density of 0.7–0.8 g cm −3 and an average thickness of 0.3 mm. A parameter of the specific shielding effectiveness/thickness (SSE/t) was as high as 2395.8 dB cm2 g−1, which was benefited from the layer structures and the formation of conductive networks inside composite papers. It is expected to provide a promising strategy to prepare high-performance nanocomposite papers for EMI shielding in the field of artificial intelligence or smart and wearable electronics.